Machine and method for marking



Sept. 28, 1943-. A. H. FISKE, JR 2,330,274

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MARKING CAST on MOLDED ARTICLES Filed Sept. 18, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

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2L4: akav ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 28, 1943 UNITED STATE MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MARKING CAST OR MOLDED ARTICLES Augustus H. Fiske, Jr., Cataumet, Mass, assignor to American Smelting and Refining Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 18, 1941, Serial No. 411,277

10 Claims. (CI. 22-75) This invention relates to casting machines and more particularly to mechanism for stamping identifying markings on cast ingots.

It is an object of the invention to provide a durable and simple device which is operatedautomatically during casting to mark each ingot or molded shape.

Another object is the provision of an improved casting apparatus and method whereby cast metal or alloy shapes are impressed with a marking die at a predetermined time after pouring and While retained in the mold.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a stamping mechanism applicable for marking one or more ingots of different sizes as well as ingots made from different materials.

The novel features of the invention will be described in connection with the casting of metal ingots, such ,as aluminum, copper, etc. using a wheel-type casting machine, but it will be appreciated that this is merely illustrative and not limitative of this invention.

In the accompanying drawingsforming a part of the specification the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a cast-' ing machine of the wheel type, partly broken away, and showing the stamping mechanism of this invention in position for marking the cast ingots;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an elevational'view of the stamper and associated mechanism taken on the'line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail view, partly in section, of the mechanism for operating the stamper;

Figure 5 is an end elevational view, partly in section, taken on line 55 of Figure 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6. is a detail sectional view taken through one of the mercury tilt-operating switches;

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view taken on the line of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary elevational view of the switch operating arm means and associated parts taken on line 88 of Figure 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows:

Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the preferred manner of electrically connecting the stamping mechanism of this invention for operation.

Referring to the drawings in detail, with particular reference to Figures 1 and 2, the numeral l0 generally designates a wheel type casting machine. Molds !2 are supported for movement on the frame means I4 which pivots abo t the central shaft iii. A solenoid operate stamper mechanism, generally designated I8, is mounted on an I beam 20 which extends along the radius of the casting wheel. The inner end of the beam 20 is .pivotedly attached to the central shaft I6 and the outer end is supported by an A shaped member 22 mounted on the wheels 24 and m0vcally operated during movement of the casting machine to actuate the stamper.

The stamper means l8, as shown in Figure 3, comprises a heavy solenoid core or armature I -member 32 having a stroke of about-two or three inches. Suitable coupling means, such as shown at 34, is provided on the outer end of the armature 32 for fastening a single or compound die holder as indicated at 36. The holder carries the desired marking die means 38. ly this arrangement it will be seen that one or moreingots of the same or difi'erent,sizes or shapes may be marked simultaneously, The solenoid coil 40 is carried by a pair of arm members 42 which are pivotably secured at their upper ends to the rod 44. The latter is supported at its ends by angle irons 46 suitably fixed to the underside of the beam 20.

To protect the coil from direct contact with water spray and mechanical blows during use, a galvanized iron cover means 48 is arranged thereover. Other equivalent corrosion resistant means may be utilized having the required mechanical strength and durability. Further, the windings are preferably covered with an outer heat insulating and waterproofing layer so that the coil will be able to withstand the temperature and atmospheric environment of a metal casting machine without breaking down. I

A coil spring means 50' is attached to the sole noid armature 32,'as at 52, and in operation returns the armature to its normal uppermost position after a stamping stroke. The spring 50 is supported on the rod 44 by suitably securing its upper end portion to the sleeve 54 which in turn is horizontally adjustable on the rod 44 and fixed thereto by a set screw 55. a

By mounting the stamper in this manner, horizontalas well as angular adjustment is furnished and it is easy to set the stamper so that thelstampingoperation will be performed at the proper time. By merely Sliding the stamper along the rod 46, which extends parallel to the radius of the casting wheel, the most optimum spot on the ingot for applying the marking may be selected. In the embodiment shown, the stamper can swing like a pendulum from the vertical position in the direction which the mold travels. This permits the stamping-mechanism to move while the marking dies are in contact with the ingots as the same are carried along by rotation of the casting wheel. This flexible mounting of the stamper eliminates any tend ency of the dies to become bound or stuck while marking the ingots. To prevent the pendulum type stamper from oscillating-a stop means 56 is positioned on one side so that the stamper may swing only from the vertical position in the direction of rotation of the casting wheel.

In Figures 4 to 8, mechanism is illustrated for controlling the operation of the stamper. This mechanism preferably comprises two switch means 58 which are independently mounted, one on each of the spaced rods or pipe-like shafts 59 as shown in Figure 1. Shafts 59 carrying the switches '58 are rotatably mounted on.a rectangular' frame means 60 which is attached to the beam 20 by a bracket 5| as shown in Figure 4.

Topo'sition the switch and lead-in wire connections so that they'willnot be subjected to the water spray used for cooling the castings, the shafts 59 are of suflicient length to extend out of the immediate vicinity of the casting molds.

Electrical switches 58 preferably are of the menioid type. This consists of a glass tube a partially filled with mercury and arranged to make-and-break electrical contact between the ends of the electrical conductors b when the tube is rotated or tilted. I In order to provide suitable protection for the switches, they are preferably each mounted in a pipe-like nipple member 63, threaded onto the, end of the shaft 59, and sealed therein withsealing wax or the like as shown at 54 in Figure 6.

Depending switch operating arm means 65 are mounted adjacent the outer ends of the shafts 59 and are positioned to engage the rim or lip portion 65 offthe molds I2 as they are carried around during movement of the casting wheel. The switch operating members 65 are suitably fixed toltheir respective shafts 59 and when moved rotate the same to eifect closing of the corresponding mercury switch means 58. This is preferably arranged to occur when the arm is positioned substantially perpendicular to the mold portion 66, as illustrated in Figure 8.

To normally maintain the switch tilting arm members 65 inclined to the vertical, suitable means are utilized, such as illustrated in Figures i and 5. This mechanism comprises a spring bar 68 laid cross-wise of the spaced shafts 59 and fixedly held at its mid-section as at 89. The springbar 68 is arranged to yieldably press against the elliptical shaped cam means 70, which are welded or otherwise-fastened to the shaft means 59.

As illustrated in Figures 4 to 8, the spring bar 68 normally maintains the switchoperating arm means 65 at an angle to the vertical but the arms are free to swing in either direction to allow the stamper to be moved forward or backward around the casting wheel without breaking or damaging the switch operating arm members.

In .Figure 9, as shown by the electrical diagram, each of the two mercury tip switches are connected to a condenser C, and resistance R and in parallel with a heavy magnetic -contactor 15 used for making and breaking the main circuit through the solenoid coil 4|]. Resistance R2 is provided for adjusting the current flowing through the solenoid coil. Two condensers are preferably used. This allows sufficient time between stamping operations for one condenser to build up the charge required to operate the contactor. It will be understood; however, that one or more condensers may be utilized as desired, for operating the contactor.

In operation, when either one of the two control switches 58 is closed the corresponding condenser discharges through the contactor coll. This pulsation of current energizes the coil closing the stamper solenoid circuit. The surge of electric current is only momentary and as soon as it decreases below a certain value the spring on the contactor operates to reopen the stamper circuit. Thus we get only a pulsation of current through the stamper solenoid coil which causes the solenoid armature 32 to deliver a stamping stroke. Within a second or less the armature is pulled back'to' its starting position by the spring 50 and the operation is repeated when the contactor circuit is again energized.

It will be readily appreciated that the invention is of wide applicability and provides a simple, durable, and eflicient mechanism for marking cast or molded articles during the molding or casting operation.

While one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood various changes may be madetherein and that other similar instrumentalities utilized by those skilled in the art to obtain the improved results attained by this invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof;

What is claimed is: I

1. In a machine for casting metal shapes. means comprising a movable support for retaining a mold to receive molten metal, mechanism associated therewith and operable'by means responsive to the movement of said mold relative to said mechanism to stamp an identifying mark on the molded metal shape while retained in said mold at a predetermined time after casting, said marking mechanism comprising a solenoid operated stamper, said solenoid comprising an armature, a die holder attached to said armature, said die holder including means for retaining one or more marking dies, means for pivot ally mounting said solenoid stamping mechanism over said mold whereby the said die holder and associated mechanism can move with said mold during the stamping operation, and means for electrically controlling the operation of said stamping mechanism.

2. In a machine for casting metal ingots, a mold mounted on a movable support for receiving and casting molten metal ingots of the desired shape, stamping mechanism carried by said casting machine, said mechanism being pivotally suspended over the path of said mold as it is carried along on said movable support, electrical switch means for controlling the operation of said stamping mechanism, means for moving the mold relative to said stamping mechanism after molten metal has been introduced therein, and means comprising a depending arm member carried by said stamper mechanism and oper with said mold means as the able by engagement same is moved along adjacent thereto to close said switch operating said stamping mechanism causing an identifying mark to be stamped on said cast ingot simultaneously as the same passes beneath said stamping mechanism.

3. In a machine for casting metal shapes, means comprising molds mounted on 'a movable support for receiving molten metal, said mold support being of the rotatable wheel type, a'

stamper associated therewith for marking the cast metal shapes whilethey are retained in said mold and moved along to an unloading station, said marking means comprising a solenoid operated stamping die, switch means electrically connected to said stamper and operable by means engageable with said molds as they are moved along during operation of said casting machine for effecting the stamping of said molded shapes at a predetermined time after casting the same, and means comprising a pivoted arm to'which said stamper is attached for the purpose of adjusting the stamper relative to said mold support in order to vary the length of time after casting before the stamper is actuated.

4. In combination with a machine for casting metal shapes having movable mold means in which molten metal. material is cast-into shapes, of stamping mechanism for automatically marking the cast shapes while retained in the molds, said stamping mechanism comprising ,means actuated by movement of said mold in contact therewith to bring about the operation of said stamping mechanism and the imprinting of an identifying mark on said cast shapes and means for adjusting the stamping mechanism so as to vary the length of time after casting before the stamping mechanism is actuated as the molds are moved therebeneath.

5. In combination with mechanism including a mold for casting metal material into a desired shape, of stamping means co-acting with said casting mechanism and operable in conjunction therewith for applying an identifying mark to said cast-metal shapewhile it is retained in said 6, In combination, a machine for casting metal ingots having movable mold means in which molten metal is poured to formcast ingots of the desired shape, stamping mechanism for impressing an identifying mark on each cast ingot at a predetermined time after casting while retained in said mold, said stamping mechanism comprising a reciprocable die holder member, a marking die mounted thereon, lever means associated therewith engageable with said movable mold to 5 bring about actuation of said stamping mechanism and the stamping of said ingot during the movement of saidmold.

7. In combination with mechanism for casting metal ingots, of'means for marking said ingots, said ingot marking means being automatically operated by means responsive to the relative change in position of the mold with respect to said marking means to bring about the stamping of the ingots with an identifying mark at a predetermined time after casting said ingots, and means for adjusting said marking means to change the time interval between the casting of the ingots and the stamping operation.

8. In a device for marking molded or cast shapes while the same is moved along in the mold, a frame. a shaft carried by said frame and extending horizontally above the path of said mold, a vertically reciprocable die holder yieldably supported on said shaft and swingable thereabout, marking die means carried by ,said holder, means responsive to the movement of said mold for actuating the advancement of said die holder toward said molded shape as it is moved therebeneath bringing said marking die in contact with said molded shape to place an identifying marking on said shape as it is moved therealonga 9. In a device for marking cast ingots while 1 retained in the mold comprising a movable frame means, a shaft carried by said frame and positioned above said mold, a reciprocable die holder pivotally mounted on said shaft, marking die means carried by said holder, means comprising a. solenoid for actuating said holder to bring about the marking of a cast ingot, said 40 solenoid being connected to a source of electrical energy in a circuit which includes a condenser, a

contactor and switch means, said circuit being operable upon closure of said switch means to allow a momentary surge of electric current to about'the marking of said cast ingot.

10. In the method of marking cast or molded metal shapes the improvement which consists in placing an identifying marking on each molded shape at a predetermined time after pouring the metal and while the same is retained/in the mold, said marking operation being performed simuL- taneously as the mold is moved along to an un-- loading station.

AUGUSTUS H. FISKE, JR.

flow through the solenoid at intervals to bring 

